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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26622358">Ropespace</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pollyglyph/pseuds/pollyglyph'>pollyglyph</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aftercare, Blindfolds, M/M, Non-Sexual Kink, PWP without Porn, Rope Bondage, Self-Bondage, Stepping kink, Subspace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:29:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26622358</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pollyglyph/pseuds/pollyglyph</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Paulie takes Iceburg through a rope scene to help him relax.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iceburg/Paulie (One Piece), Paulie/Iceburg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ropespace</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Paulie locks Iceburg’s office door behind him.</p><p>“Any requests?” he asks, his voice hushed.</p><p>Iceburg smiles at him from his desk as Paulie makes his way across the room. He drops his bag of rope at the front of Iceburg’s desk and stoops to go through it.</p><p>“Everyone’s on their break right now,” Iceburg assures. “No one will hear anything.”</p><p>“I know.” Paulie shrugs. “But even with the door locked… doing this in your office…”</p><p>Iceburg slides back his chair and gets up. He crouches beside Paulie and places a hand on his shoulder. “Trust me. This room is quite soundproof.”</p><p>Paulie pulls out some bundles of rope and hands them to him. “Sorry your meeting this morning was so shit.”</p><p>“Mm, thanks.”</p><p>Iceburg stands and places the ropes on his desk.</p><p>Paulie glances up at him. “Do you want to talk about it some more or just leave it?”</p><p>“I had my vent when I called you. I’m good.” Iceburg sighs. He picks a bundle up and flips it in his hands. “Hm, requests? If you could make sure my hands and legs are tied I’d really appreciate that. Apart from that, you can feel free to do what you like.”</p><p>“And touching?” Paulie gets up, arms full of the last of his ropes and he adds them to the pile.</p><p>“Keep it non-sexual.” Iceburg nods. “I’m not quite in the headspace for it right now.”</p><p>“I’m just here helping you to relax and get your mind off things for a while. So I’m good with whatever.”</p><p>He meets Iceburg’s gaze and Iceburg reaches out to him.  </p><p>“Thank you Paulie. I’ve felt so frustrated I haven’t been able to focus very well on anything. You’re right.” He squeezes Paulie’s arm. “I feel like this will really help me change gear.”</p><p>“That’s why I thought I’d suggest it.” Paulie brushes his hand over the back of his neck. “Do you want me to just tie you up, there you go? Or I can be kind of rough with you if that’s what you’d like?”</p><p>“Keep me guessing.” Iceburg shrugs. “I think it’s easier for me to let go when I don’t know what to expect.”</p><p>“I’ll mix it up then.” Paulie nods. “Just a floor tie?”</p><p>“I don’t have a hard point set up in here.”</p><p>Iceburg raises the rope and breathes in deeply to take in its scent.</p><p>“New jute. Smells fresh doesn’t it?” Paulie says. “Probably still a bit stiff though. Hope you don’t mind helping me break it in.”</p><p>“Do you have that rope that smells like you?” Iceburg asks.</p><p>Paulie shakes his head. “Got worn out I’m afraid. Had to toss it. Wouldn’t want it snapping on a suspension.”</p><p>“Hm, that’s a pity.” Iceburg goes back and sits down on his chair. “It would’ve been nice to keep it for light floor work. Or just to have when you’re not with me.”</p><p>“Sorry. Didn’t cross my mind you might still want it,” Paulie replies and follows him round. “Feel kind of bad getting rid of it now.”</p><p>“No, don’t,” Iceburg insists. “If it was worn, that was the safe thing to do. I was just being overly sentimental.” He reaches and strokes Paulie’s leg. “There’ll be plenty more rope.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Paulie nods.</p><p>Iceburg passes the hank of rope to him, then takes his hand and rubs his thumbs into Paulie’s knuckles.</p><p>Paulie smiles back. “If you really want, I’ll tie myself with this one some morning and wear it round the shipyard for you. Really work up a sweat in it. Then you can have it to sniff when you like.”</p><p>Iceburg laughs and drops Paulie’s hand, then takes his other one, and works it in the same way.</p><p>“I’d actually really appreciate that,” Iceburg replies.</p><p>“Pervert.” Paulie chuckles. He gets down on his knees in front of Iceburg and kisses him. He brushes a hand down Iceburg’s shirt. “I love this on you.”</p><p>“It is one you picked out after all.” Iceburg meets his eyes. “I’ve grown quite fond of it too, so try not to ruin it.”</p><p>“Do you want to take it off?”</p><p>“I’ll probably want to lie a while in the ropes. I don’t want to get cold.”</p><p>“Want my jacket over?” Paulie asks. “It’d keep you warm, and smell like me too. Since you seem to be into that.”</p><p>Iceburg nods. “Well, sure, why not.”</p><p>Paulie starts to peel his jacket off.</p><p>Iceburg bends. “I’ll take my shoes off.”</p><p>“No, let me.”</p><p>Paulie quickly finishes shirking off his jacket and hands it to Iceburg, then stoops to Iceburg’s foot. He runs his hands over his shoe.</p><p>“The leather on these is really nice.”</p><p>Iceburg puts an arm into the sleeve and pulls Paulie’s jacket on. “It is. I think they use a special treatment process to make it soft like this.”</p><p>“What sort of treatment?” Paulie tugs Iceburg’s lace.</p><p>“Well, I don’t actually know to be honest,” Iceburg admits. “Maybe if we’re both free someday we’ll go on a leather factory tour and learn all about it.”</p><p>“That’d probably be interesting.” Paulie nods. He slides off Iceburg’s shoe then pulls the lace loose on the second. “Expensive?”</p><p>“Horribly.” Iceburg smiles. “But good craftsmanship is always worth it.”</p><p>“They are nice.”</p><p>Paulie sets them beside Iceburg’s desk.</p><p>He looks at Iceburg dressed in his jacket and tugs at the sleeve. “You look good in denim.”</p><p>“I can’t even remember the last time I wore it.”</p><p>“I’d love to see you dressed down more often. Not that you don’t always look great,” Paulie insists, fixing the collar for him. “But you should get a new pair of jeans. I want to see you in them. One that really shows off your incredible ass.” </p><p>Iceburg laughs. “When was the last time you washed this though?”</p><p>“Uh… it’s best not to wash denim much, right?”</p><p>“Hm, well it definitely does smell like you.”</p><p>Paulie scratches his head. “Sorry, I’ll get it washed.”</p><p>“We’ll send it down afterwards.”</p><p>“You can take it off if you feel gross.”</p><p>Iceburg reaches for his hand. “No. I like it. It really is quite comforting.”</p><p>Paulie takes Iceburg’s wrist and moves it in slow circles. “Are your hands and wrists feeling alright? No cramps or anything?”</p><p>Iceburg clenches his fingers and releases them. “Hm, a little stiff maybe? I have been working pretty solidly.”</p><p>“You’re still not taking breaks,” Paulie scolds. ”I’ll keep anything round your arms looser then. Legs all good?”</p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>“And nothing else I need to be careful with right now?”</p><p>Iceburg tilts his head. “My neck is a bit...”</p><p>“Sure. So arms and legs then?”</p><p>Paulie snaps open a rope bundle and lets it unwind. The tails fall to the ground with a light tap on the hardwood floor as he looks over Iceburg’s body in thought.</p><p>“And you really don’t want to know what I’m planning for you?”</p><p>“When I know what you’re doing I tend to think about the process too much,” Iceburg replies.</p><p>He scratches his chin.</p><p>“Although, hm, if I was to guess, you’re probably going to go with a hog tie. Or I suppose you might go with frog ties on my legs and a box tie to hold my arms. Or-”</p><p>Paulie grabs Iceburg by the front of his jacket and drags him off his chair to the floor.</p><p>“Oh.” Iceburg looks up to Paulie with surprise.</p><p>“You’re already thinking too much,” Paulie scolds down at him.</p><p>“Yes. I suppose I am.”</p><p>“No thinking about what I’m doing. That’s my job. Yours is to lie there and just let everything go for a while. Can you do that?”</p><p>“Well, I trust you’ll take good care of me.”</p><p>“Yeah. So no more thinking.”</p><p>Paulie glances at the clock on the wall.</p><p>“For the next hour or so, you’re not allowed to think about anything other than just focusing entirely on the moment, alright?”</p><p>Paulie takes Iceburg’s hand and runs the rope along his palm.</p><p>“No meeting from this morning or what’s on your schedule for later. Just focus on the rope on you and how it feels.”</p><p>“Mm, that sounds good.” Iceburg smirks. “Make sure this is really distracting for me then.”</p><p>“Want to be blindfolded or gagged at all before we start?”</p><p>“Hm, not right now.”</p><p>“I’ll ask you later then, alright?”</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>Paulie finds both ends of the rope, then pulls it evenly through his hands to find the centre. He bends to Iceburg’s feet, takes one in his hands and smooths his thumbs into the arch.</p><p>Iceburg hums. “That feels really good.”</p><p>“Your feet are always freezing,” Paulie says, kneading the soles of Iceburg’s foot through his sock.</p><p>He sets Iceburg’s foot back down and takes up his other foot to treat it to the same.</p><p>“If they get too cold, tell me and I’ll try to get them warmed up again.”</p><p>“I might lie though just to get another foot rub. It’s very nice.”</p><p>“Eh, lie if you want, but you could also just ask me you know?” Paulie replies. “If you wanted I could just wrap you up and give you a foot massage?”</p><p>“It’s tempting.”</p><p>Paulie rolls the cuff of Iceburg’s trousers and starts a single column deliberately slow, twisting it round Iceburg’s ankle. He ties it off with a double knot and raises the rope, hoisting Iceburg’s foot up.</p><p>“Mm,” Iceburg mumbles.</p><p>“Hurt?” Paulie asks.</p><p>“No. It’s just nice.”</p><p>He leans his weight against Iceburg’s leg to force it towards his chest and Iceburg’s brow furrows.</p><p>“Now?” Paulie asks.</p><p>“A bit.”</p><p>Paulie presses against him harder. He slides the rope under Iceburg’s body and pulls the rope, tugging his leg gradually tighter to his chest.</p><p>Iceburg’s face tenses some more. “Ah, that’s too much.”</p><p>Paulie eases off the tension and brings Iceburg’s leg back down to the floor. He rubs the inside of Iceburg’s knee.</p><p>“Your leg’s a bit stiff. You can usually manage more than this.”</p><p>“I know what you’re going to say. <em>I’m sitting too much</em>.”</p><p>“I’m sure your new little secretary isn’t happy either that you’re not sticking to that desk break schedule she drew up,” Paulie remarks.</p><p>“She’s not strict with me like you are.”</p><p>“I’m only trying to get you to stop being so tough on yourself,” Paulie huffs.</p><p>He rests Iceburg’s sole flat against the floor, with his calf tightly pressed to his thigh. He pulls the rope around Iceburg’s thigh and begins a spiral around his leg.</p><p>“As always, tell me right away if anything starts to bother you. I’m never sure if I’m tying too tight. Masts can take a lot more than bodies can.”</p><p>“Oh, a futomomo,” Iceburg remarks.</p><p>Paulie tugs the rope tighter.</p><p>Iceburg winces.</p><p>“Too much?”</p><p>“I’m fine.”</p><p>Paulie pulls again, squeezing tension against Iceburg’s shin where he knows it’s sensitive. “Now?”</p><p>Iceburg grunts. “Something makes me think you’re quite enjoying this.”</p><p>“Got me.” Paulie shrugs. “Anyway, the more of a challenge this is, the more distracting it’ll be for you.”</p><p>He gives a bit more slack, and he watches Iceburg release a held breath.</p><p>“I suppose I did ask for 'distracting'.” Iceburg nods. “Part of me wondered if you’d had a stressful morning too in the shipyard and were using this to get it out of your system. Was someone not pulling their weight today?”</p><p>“Hey, would you stop thinking already?” Paulie complains, increasing the tension in the rope again. “Every time you start I’m going to pull the rope even tighter. I’ll train this out of you.”</p><p>“Ah, careful!” Iceburg replies, and his tone turns a little stern. “That really is too much now.”</p><p>“Sorry.” Paulie eases the rope and he gives the spot on Iceburg’s shin a stroke in silent apology. “You’re going to have some nice marks later.”</p><p>Iceburg’s voice softens again. “If we finish before your break’s up I’ll let you inspect your handiwork quickly before you go.”</p><p>Paulie grins. “I’d love that. If I get turned on though, that’s your fault.”</p><p>Iceburg shakes his head. “No, that’s all yours.”</p><p>Paulie shifts his focus back to wrapping round Iceburg’s leg, getting close to the knee before starting a line of hitches on the outside of his leg, down the wraps.</p><p>Iceburg shifts on the floor, folding his arms behind his head. “Am I allowed to ask if there’s anything on your mind though?”</p><p>“I guess that’s allowed.” Paulie’s brow furrows as he works the next hitch. “You were right. It’s just one of the new guys. He’s good, but he’s so slow. I have to keep getting at him to stick with everyone’s pace, but he’s so timid too.”</p><p>He finishes off the last hitch on the bottom, then feeds the rope round to the inside of Iceburg’s leg.</p><p>“I feel bad as hell telling him off, cause he just can’t take it. So it gets really frustrating.”</p><p>“Maybe go for the carrot rather than the stick then,” Iceburg suggests.  </p><p>Paulie prises a finger through the first wrap and loops the rope round it, dragging it through. “What, so offer some sort of incentive?”</p><p>“Yes, like, if he gets his part done early, he can have a longer lunch or something like that.”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess that might work.” Paulie strokes Iceburg’s leg. “Thanks for the advice.”</p><p>“You’re welcome.” Iceburg untucks an arm and reaches out to touch his hand. “So is there any chance I can get the carrot method too?”</p><p>“Doesn’t work on you. And you know you fucking like the stick.”</p><p>Iceburg laughs. “Well, I suppose I can’t deny it. And if the stick’s a crop, all the better.”</p><p>Paulie laughs back. “God. What have you got me into?”</p><p>“What have <em>I</em> got <em>you </em>into?”</p><p>“Ok. We’re as bad as each other,” Paulie admits. He fiddles with the next hitch.  “Uh, I hope you weren’t expecting me to bring any impact toys along. Only had time to grab my rope bag.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Iceburg replies. </p><p>Paulie peers over at him raising his neck up to watch.</p><p>“Your tying is always so neat,” Iceburg remarks. He smiles. “I’m always so impressed with your work.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Paulie replies with a shrugged smile back. “If you want to watch though, sit up so you’re not straining yourself.”</p><p>Paulie watches Iceburg raise himself up on his elbows.</p><p>Paulie finishes up the first leg, winding the last of the rope down the stem and tucking the tails neatly away.  </p><p>Iceburg reaches to brush his fingers over the rope. “Mm this looks beautiful. What sort of hitch did you use for this?”</p><p>“I’ll show you how I did it when I get there on your other leg,” Paulie answers.</p><p>He reaches for Iceburg’s foot and tilts it up and down. “Feeling good still?”</p><p>Iceburg stretches and flexes his toes. “Very nice. I’m starting to feel more relaxed already.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>Paulie gets up.</p><p>“Where are you going?” Iceburg asks.</p><p>Paulie walks to the sofa at the side of the room and grabs a pillow. He throws it towards Iceburg.</p><p>“Prop yourself on that. You didn’t look very comfortable leaning on your forearms.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Iceburg replies, shifting himself awkwardly towards it with his hands.</p><p>Paulie returns to him, then grabs him by the collar and drags him along the floor to the front of his desk. “Lean against it. It’ll be less work on your back.”</p><p>Iceburg places the pillow against the desk and makes himself comfortable. “Yes, this is a lot easier.”</p><p>Paulie watches him close his eyes, and the expression on his face softens.</p><p>“Blindfold time?” Paulie asks.</p><p>“Hm, yes. That would actually be really nice.”</p><p>Paulie reaches back into his bag and pulls out a piece of cloth and folds it into a wide strip. He tilts Iceburg’s head down and wraps the band around his closed eyes and ties it with a double knot at the back of his head.</p><p>He brushes through Iceburg’s hair, fixing it round the blindfold. “Nice?”</p><p>“Very.”</p><p>He folds Iceburg’s head back to lean against the desk and takes another rope, starting on Iceburg’s other ankle.</p><p>“Leg ties became my go to for a while when I was stressed out,” Paulie says, fixing the loop with a secure knot. “Don’t know what it is, but I find them really relaxing.”</p><p>“It’s probably the deep pressure against the thigh,” Iceburg replies. “I think that’s supposed to be quite calming.”  </p><p>“Why the thigh though? Doesn’t really make sense to me.”</p><p>Paulie spirals the rope swift and tight up Iceburg’s leg, mirroring the tie on his first leg. Iceburg sits silently and Paulie watches his expression shifting slightly under his blindfold as Paulie hooks his fingers into each successive wrap to make a hitch, constricting the tie roughly for a moment before easing the tension out slowly again. </p><p>“Your leg muscles probably carry a lot of tension if you’re on your feet all day at the dock,” Iceburg mumbles finally. “Especially if you’ve been doing any heavy lifting. The support of the ropes probably helps you release that.”</p><p>“That would make sense.”</p><p>“Do you still self-tie much?” Iceburg asks.</p><p>“Sometimes. Thought I’d lie here with you and relax too. If you’re ok with that.”</p><p>“Make sure you’re still able to free us both if needs be though.”</p><p>“Of course. Got shears in the bag.”</p><p>Paulie finishes his second leg off and brushes over the rope.  </p><p>“I’m going to move you again, alright?”</p><p>“Mm.” Iceburg nods.</p><p>Paulie leans him forward and reaches around his back. He lifts him away from the desk and places him back down with enough room to kneel behind him. He folds Iceburg’s legs to rest against the floor.</p><p>“Mm.”</p><p>“You’re ‘mm’-ing a lot,” Paulie remarks. He leans his elbow against Iceburg’s upper back and moves it in circles.  </p><p>“Mm, I’m starting to feel a bit spacey,” Iceburg answers. “In a good way.”</p><p>Paulie blows cold air at the back of his neck and watches Iceburg shudder.</p><p>“Don’t get too comfortable.”</p><p>Iceburg shakes his head. “Cruel.”</p><p>Paulie returns to easing out his tension. “That helping with your neck?”</p><p>“Yes.” He sighs. “Mm, right there.” </p><p>Paulie presses into his muscle firmer.</p><p>“I’m a bit itchy,” Iceburg adds. “Would you mind?”</p><p>Paulie works his hand in under his jacket and Iceburg’s shirt and scratches.</p><p>“Perfect. Thanks.”</p><p>“Ok now?”</p><p>“Ok.”</p><p>Paulie takes Iceburg’s arms and draws his wrists closer. “Hold them there for me.”</p><p>Paulie takes another hank of rope and unwinds it. He wraps a double column round Iceburg’s wrists and knots between his hands with space to keep the tie comfortably loose. He pulls the rope round Iceburg’s forearm and reaches both arms around him to tie round Iceburg’s waist. He passes the rope to his other hand and circles it back. </p><p>His brow tenses. “Have you lost weight?”</p><p>Iceburg shrugs. “Hm, I haven’t noticed.”</p><p>Paulie runs his hand across Iceburg’s front more deliberately as he passes rope round him a second time. “You feel thinner. You eating ok?”</p><p>“Well, you know how it is when I’m really busy.”</p><p>Paulie secures the wraps together at the back.</p><p>“I don’t care if we end up overshooting our lunch breaks, we’re going down and getting you fed after this.”</p><p>“Alright.”</p><p>Paulie feeds the rope between his arms and sides to cinch the wraps at the front. He repeats on the other side and secures it again to the stem. He spirals back down and ties off again at his wrists, leaving a short length trailing from the tie.</p><p>“That’s enough for your arms,” he says. “We’ll leave your upper arms free. Don’t want nerve problems messing with your drafting.”   </p><p>Iceburg twists, testing his range of movement. “It’s surprising how little you need to feel quite restricted.”</p><p>“Interesting isn’t it?” Paulie agrees. He brushes through Iceburg’s hair again. “Went a bit easy on you today, but does it feel like enough to deal with?”</p><p>“Mm, I think you could have gone a bit harder.”</p><p>Paulie grabs his hair and tugs to pull his head back. “If that’s how you feel we can still ramp it up a notch.”</p><p>He feels Iceburg nod in his tight hold.</p><p>“Mm, I can take some more.”</p><p>“Then your wish is my command.”</p><p>Paulie grabs the stem like a handle and bends him forwards.</p><p>He takes the short tail of rope from Iceburg’s wrists and whips it against Iceburg’s ass, managing only the slightest whack against him.</p><p>“Ah, this is shit,” Paulie complains. “You probably don’t even feel anything.”</p><p>He tries again.</p><p>Iceburg chuckles. “Barely.”</p><p>He presses the heel of his boot against Iceburg’s back and folds him further into the bend.</p><p>Iceburg grunts. “Is that your foot?”</p><p>“This’ll be a bit harder for you. You want it?” Paulie asks. “It’s going to fucking hurt.”</p><p>Iceburg’s expression shifts to a smirk. “Do you really want prints on your own jacket?” he scoffs. “Try it.”</p><p>Paulie pushes his treads flat against him and forces him against the floor.</p><p>Iceburg moans and arches into it as Paulie adds more pressure.</p><p>"You like that?”</p><p>“Mm. Divine.”</p><p>Paulie looks down at him, cheek pressed against the floorboards beneath him, his body and face both twitching in slight micro movements as he works to manage and process the pain.</p><p>He reaches and brushes his fingertips gently over Iceburg's jaw.</p><p>“God. You're so handsome.”</p><p>Iceburg moans again and Paulie presses down pressure until Iceburg starts to grow silent and his breath deepens, tells that he was just beginning to tip past his limit and into a higher concentration to focus on reducing his strain.</p><p>Paulie holds him there until he feels Iceburg's jaw tense, then he eases off him and smooths the back of his hand over his face. “Enough?”</p><p>Iceburg nods with a sigh.</p><p>“You held that really well,” Paulie praises, stroking the back of Iceburg’s head.</p><p>He bends and helps straighten his body out of the deep twist, propping him back on his side.</p><p>“Enough left in you for one last bend?” Paulie asks.</p><p>Iceburg nods again and Paulie takes the tail from his wrists and feeds it through the loop from his upper ankle. He eases it towards his wrists, arching his body into a light back bend, then ties it off securely and lets him sink into it.</p><p>He brushes over Iceburg's hands and Iceburg taps each of his fingers with his thumb in turn to test his sensation. He pushes the back of Iceburg's feet, and he pushes back into it.</p><p>“Checks done,” he says, getting up and moving round Iceburg’s body on the floor below him. He takes the time to study his pose from every angle, admiring the view.</p><p>He sighs and scratches his head.</p><p>“I can never get over how beautiful you are.”</p><p>Paulie fetches the pillow, and tucks it under Iceburg’s head.</p><p>“For your neck.” </p><p>He grabs another couple of hanks of rope from the desk and sits back down in front of him, watching as Iceburg strains just slightly, shifting his body to make his position in the tie more comfortable.</p><p>Paulie starts a tie on his own ankle, making a simple and quick pattern to bind his leg, taking regular glances to Iceburg as he goes to check on him.</p><p>He starts working on his other leg. “When I'm around you, I wish I was better at making things or saying things.”</p><p>He grabs another rope and tightens it around his chest.</p><p>“I want to be able to capture what it feels like. But I don’t think I could.” </p><p>He blushes.</p><p>“Ah, damn it. That was so stupid.”</p><p>He looks to Iceburg to check if he's listening. It’s hard for him to tell if he’s too deep into his almost meditative state to have heard it or not, but a brief smile flicks on his lips before easing back into a near expressionless look of calm.</p><p>“I can’t believe I still get flustered like this around you.”  </p><p>He lies down and folds his hands on top of his chest and feels it rising and falling, and the rope around him constricts then eases with his breath. He tilts his head and monitors Iceburg attentively, watching his chest move in slow, relaxed breath too.  </p><p>He feels his spine press hard against the solid surface of the floorboards. The ornate pattern carved in the wood juts uncomfortably against him, and it brings him back to the last time he felt the sensation, tacked to the floor of Iceburg’s old office after he’d stayed to fight for him when he was meant to run. It was only back then, in that moment of desperation, that he had begun to realise just how deep his feelings for Iceburg really ran.</p><p>He holds it for a moment before letting it pass. He gets up again before he can start to feel drowsiness set in.</p><p>He unties his legs then crawls round behind Iceburg to repeat his checks on his hands and feet.</p><p>He strokes Iceburg’s back. “Time to come out now, I think that’s enough.”</p><p>“Mm,” Iceburg mumbles, as Paulie loosens his ankle and eases him out of the back bend.</p><p>He raises him up to sitting gently and rubs his arms to encourage the circulation.</p><p>“Was that a good session for you?” Paulie asks. “You looked completely gone.”</p><p>“Mm, yes,” Iceburg replies, his voice a little gruff.</p><p>“Still coming around?”</p><p>“A bit.”   </p><p>Paulie starts to untie Iceburg's arms. When he gets to the bands wrapped around the front his body, he pauses and holds his arms round him.</p><p>“Were you thinking about anything?”</p><p>“Mm not really. Well, you know how it is I'm sure. You get into a state where thoughts come and go and it becomes a lot easier to just let them.”</p><p>Paulie nods.</p><p>“That night came to mind at one point,” Iceburg adds calmly. “But holding the thought and feeling safe with you in that moment, it helps to process it.”</p><p>“I thought about that night too,” Paulie says. “But it's like it came and went and didn't really worry me too much. It's weird, right?”</p><p>“It's getting easier for us both.” Iceburg smiles.</p><p>Paulie presses kisses to his neck.</p><p>Iceburg giggles.</p><p>“Too much?” Paulie smiles. </p><p>Iceburg tilts his head round.  “No, it was nice. Ticklish though.”</p><p>Paulie coils the rope off then releases his hands.</p><p>“And the stepping? Was that too much?”</p><p>Iceburg raises his arms. “No. I needed that extra bit of sensation to tip me over into subspace.”</p><p>He stretches with a long yawn.</p><p>“I feel so relaxed now.”</p><p>He undoes the knot of his blindfold.</p><p>Paulie reaches over for his bag and pulls out a water canister.  </p><p>“Thirsty?” he asks and passes it to Iceburg.</p><p>“Thanks.” Iceburg unscrews the lid and takes a gulp.</p><p>There’s a squeak and Paulie glances to see Tyrannosaurus chewing on the ropes around Iceburg’s leg.</p><p>“Ah, hey, stop it,” he complains.</p><p>Paulie reaches round Iceburg and tries to brush him away.</p><p>“Ow. The little rat bit me!”</p><p>Iceburg laughs. “He’s probably wondering what’s going on. Checking to see if I’m alright.”</p><p>“Don’t laugh.” Paulie shakes his hand and scowls. “Did you let him out of his cage earlier?”</p><p>“I’ve been letting him run around the office more freely lately.” Iceburg scoops him up and strokes him. “I’m fine. Everything’s alright.”</p><p>“It’s almost like you’re trying to get him to eat your paperwork.”</p><p>“Well, if it happens, it happens.” Iceburg holds him out. “Will you put him away for me so he doesn’t eat your ropes?”</p><p>Paulie gets up hesitantly. “I don’t think he’s going to let me touch him. He looks… mad.”</p><p>“It’s just Paulie, Tyrannosaurus. He won’t hurt you,” Iceburg explains.</p><p>“He’s not going to bite again is he?” </p><p>“I don’t think so.”</p><p>Paulie cups his hands under Iceburg’s and Tyrannosaurus walks into them.</p><p>He holds him tentatively. “I don’t really know which one of us is more nervous about this.”</p><p>“Try petting him.”</p><p>“Uh, I don’t know about that.” Paulie looks around the office. “Where’s his cage? Did you move it somewhere?”</p><p>“Do you see the run on my bookshelf?”</p><p>“That slope?” Paulie asks. “That’s new.”</p><p>“Well, I was bored one morning.”</p><p>Paulie rolls his eyes. “Alright. So where is it?”</p><p>“Follow the run,” Iceburg directs him. “Or you could just place him on it and he’ll go find his cage himself if he wants.”</p><p>Paulie places him on the thin wooden track and Tyrannosaurus perches himself on it.</p><p>“I don’t think animals like me,” Paulie says, watching the mouse stare at him. He decides to leave him to do as he pleases.</p><p>“You just have to let him get used to you,” Iceburg replies.</p><p>“There,” Paulie says, crouching back down in front of Iceburg.</p><p>“Sorry about that,” Iceburg replies, taking Paulie’s hand.</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“That he bit you. Is it alright?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah. It’s fine.”</p><p>Iceburg licks his thumb, then swipes the blood from Paulie’s finger. “We should probably wash this properly later. I don’t have anything here we can dress this with.”</p><p>“I’m supposed to be giving you aftercare right now,” Paulie chuckles.</p><p>“Well, tops need aftercare too.” Iceburg smiles. He brings Paulie’s hand up and kisses it. “I can finish untying us. I don’t want you to get blood all over your ropes.”</p><p>“Sure?”</p><p>“Yes. I don’t mind.” Iceburg nods. “Besides, I always feel like I learn a lot from undoing your ties and tracing back through your process.”</p><p>He pats Paulie’s thigh.</p><p>“Turn around and I’ll undo your chest harness for you.”</p><p>Paulie turns his back to him and feels Iceburg working loose the ends of the rope.</p><p>“When did you first start tying yourself?” Iceburg asks. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that story.”</p><p>“Oh God.” Paulie cringes. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”</p><p>Iceburg passes the rope over Paulie’s shoulder. “I’m even more curious now.”</p><p>“Uh, so the guys at the first dock I started working at used to hunt out magazines with erotic pictures and stuff like that,” Paulie explains.</p><p>Iceburg reaches around him and undoes the hitch on the front of his chest, then draws the rope back over his other shoulder.</p><p>“Sailors and pirates would find them on their travels and carry them with them, and the shipwrights would buy or trade for them. All sorts of lewd things, but they’d really go wild for stuff that had bondage.”</p><p>“Ah, yes,” Iceburg says, unwrapping Paulie’s chest wraps. “Shipwrights like to pass things around.”</p><p>“So, my eighteenth birthday, they gave me this present.”</p><p>“A magazine?”</p><p>“It was so obscene. I was horrified!”</p><p>Iceburg laughs. He slips the last of the rope off Paulie and brushes the loose rope hairs off the back of his shirt. “Done.”</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>Paulie turns back around and Iceburg starts to untie his own legs.</p><p>“I think the bleeding’s stopped,” Paulie says, inspecting his hand. “I could untie you if you like?”</p><p>“It would probably just open again with rope passing over it,” Iceburg answers, fiddling with the hitches. “Sorry, keep going with your story.”</p><p>“Alright. Uh, so I took it home and I stashed it under my bed,” Paulie admits. “Eventually I got up the courage though to let myself take it out and look. God, I always felt so ashamed, but I enjoyed every page of it.”</p><p>He watches Iceburg undo the last hitch then retie it again in practice.</p><p>“Then I started trying to reverse engineer how they’d tied it on myself. I probably still have that magazine, although I’m sure it’s pretty battered now.”</p><p>Iceburg glances up at him. “Well, if you find it sometime, I’d love to see.”</p><p>“It’s mostly girls though,” Paulie adds. “But there’s some guys in there.”</p><p>“Really?” Iceburg quickly pulls the spiral loose, then unties his ankle.  He starts on his other leg. “You'll have to show me your favourite.”</p><p>“That’s embarrassing.” Paulie blushes.</p><p>Iceburg brushes his cheek. “You can point out yours and I’ll point out mine. Hm, I wonder if we’d pick the same?”</p><p>Paulie blushes harder. “I don’t know. Maybe?”</p><p>“You’re so cute when you get flustered. Earlier too.”</p><p>“Ah come on, just finish untying yourself already.” Paulie cringes.</p><p>He grabs the water bottle and takes a gulp.</p><p>Iceburg chuckles and continues working off the ropes.</p><p>Paulie gets up. “There’s a lot of rope just lying about.”</p><p>“Leave it,” Iceburg replies. “We’ll tidy after we go eat and fix your hand up.”</p><p>“Ok. Nearly ready?”</p><p>“Almost.”</p><p>Iceburg works off the last knot then gets up.</p><p>“Thank you for this,” he says and kisses Paulie.</p><p>Paulie smiles. “Thanks. I enjoyed it too.”</p><p>“Will we go?”</p><p>“Oh, your shoes.”</p><p>“Oh yes.”</p><p>Paulie grabs them and hands them to Iceburg and he slips them back on and bends to tie them.</p><p>“Do you want your jacket back?” He looks up to Paulie.</p><p>“Keep it on if you want.” Paulie shrugs.</p><p>They leave the office and lock it behind them.   </p>
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